GENERAL:
Tuesday afternoon, September 16, I received an order from
General Lawton, commanding the Third (Ewell's) Division, to
hold my brigade in readiness to move at an instant's notice.
The brigade was then stationed on the left of the road
leading from the ford at Shepherdstown to Sharpsburg, about a
mile from the battle-field. Between 4 and 5 o'clock I was
directed to follow the brigade of General Early, which took
up the line of march in the direction of what I subsequently
ascertained was the extreme left of our line of battle. About
sunset we arrived in a body of woods behind the Dunkard
church, on the Hagerstown road, subjected, as we proceeded to
this position, to the shelling of a battery of the enemy
posted on an opposite eminence. Remaining here until after
dark, and discovering that Early's brigade had moved its
position still farther to the left to prevent a flank
movement of the enemy, I put my brigade in motion and placed
it, at General Early's suggestion, immediately in the rear of
his brigade. Here we remained that night.
At light next
morning, we were aroused by the report of musketry, and in a
short while after putting the troops in readiness I received
an order from General Lawton to proceed to a point in our
lines yet unoccupied, and fill up the gap thus occasioned..
The precise position assigned me being uncertain, from the
vagueness of the direction, I dispatched my assistant
adjutant-general, Capt. John H. New, to General Lawton for
more definite instructions. Captain New was met by a courier
sent by General Lawton to point out the place intended for my
brigade. This I discovered to be an opening in our lines
between General Lawton's brigade, on the right, and General
-------'s brigade, on the left. I was accordingly marching to
the point, when I was overtaken by another courier from
General Lawton, directing me to return with the brigade and
take up a position in an open field immediately in rear of
his brigade. I obeyed the order. Here I remained until I
received from Colonel Douglass, commanding General Lawton's
brigade, a request to come to his assistance. I then formed
in line of battle and moved to the support of Colonel
Douglass. Advancing to the position occupied by his brigade,
I proceeded about 150 yards beyond his line in the direction
of the enemy, having commenced firing as soon as I came up to
the lines of Colonel Douglass.
My brigade at this
time did not number over 550 men, and so peculiarly exposed
was the position I occupied to an enfilading fire from
several batteries of the enemy and the fire of their infantry
in front, that in a very short time my command was so
reduced, having lost more than one-half (323 killed and
wounded), that, on General Hood's brigade coming up, as a
re-enforcement, I was obliged to retire. I then proceeded to
gather together the remnant of my brigade. When this was
accomplished, I moved again toward the front, but, on
reaching the skirt of the woods above referred to, I found
General Hood's brigade, sheltered by the nature of the ground
from a very severe artillery fire directed upon it. Upon
consultation with General Hood, I considered it best to
remain there I continued in this position until evening, when
my brigade, with General Hood, retired about a mile to the
rear, and, forming in line in an open field near the large
stone barn, there remained during the night.
Early Thursday
morning I received an order from General Early, then in
command of the division (General Lawton having been wounded),
to advance my brigade to the woods then occupied by his own
brigade, and, forming upon his left, held that position until
late Thursday night, when I received orders to recross the
Potomac.
I have no report to
make of the action of Captain D'Aquin's battery, attached to
my brigade, as that officer was not under my command during
the action.
Of the officers and
men under my command I have to speak in terms of the highest
commendation. The terrible loss among the officers evinces
with what fidelity they discharged their duties.
To my staff--Capt.
John H. New, assistant adjutant-general, and Lieut. Dwight
Martin, aide-de-camp--I am under particular obligations for
their constant attendance and prompt discharge of their
several duties. Lieutenant Martin, I regret to add, was
mortally wounded early in the morning. Captain New, having
his horse killed under him, was disabled by the fall; and I
am indebted to Major Young, quartermaster of this brigade,
for voluntarily acting as my aide when deprived of the
services of the above-mentioned gentlemen.